Don't Let Cyber Spooks Ruin Your Halloween

Cybersecurity Awareness Month ends in the spirit of Halloween, a great reminder that we need to fend off the spooky virtual threats that lurk in every nook and cranny of the internet.

                                           Creepy crawlies are in town

                                         Just in time to track you down

                                          While they linger at your door

                                          They're sizing up a candy score

                                           Jack-o'-lanterns hum a tune

                                           At the sight of the full moon

                                     Ghost and ghouls say trick or treat

                                      Won't you join our spooky meet?

                              Sweets and treats won't stave off their greed

                                           It's your data they all need

                                     Lock your doors till morning' light

                                      No one's safe this Hallow's night

So, while you're busy finishing last-minute home decorations and preparing pumpkin spice treats to nibble on while watching a Halloween movie marathon, take a look at our tips and tricks that help keep you and your data safe from all things that go bump in the night.

Password-protect your candy

Internet ghouls want to get into your online accounts to steal your stash of candy. Your data is a prized commodity for identity thieves and cybercriminals on the dark web. Use a different password for each online account and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible.

Don't get fooled by the festive costume

You're probably not the only one dressing up on Halloween. Cybercriminals are also putting on their best costume on All Hallows' Eve. Instead of trick or treating, they like to go phishing – for your data, of course. They may put on the mask of your favorite online retailer or impersonate your bank to steal your financial information and turn your day into a nightmare.

Beware of any incoming spam and unsolicited messages. Don't click on links or download files from correspondence that seems meant to scare or panic you. No legitimate emails, texts or messages from trustworthy organizations will ever ask for your PINs, passcodes, credit card numbers or other sensitive information.

No one shares treats on Halloween

Nobody really wants to share the bag of candy they scored while trick or treating. So why would a total stranger offer you goodies for free? If they do, it's not because of their charitable heart. Be extremely cautious of any prizes, gifts or too-good-too-be-true deals heading your way. No matter how tempting, you should never risk your financial wellbeing by interacting with strangers, ads or platforms advertising get-rich-quick schemes or sweepstake prizes.

Chase off internet monsters with a cybersecurity solution

Zombies, werewolves and other creepy crawlies usually disappear after Halloween, but online vampires, witches and ghouls never go away. After stashing your garlic, silver bullets and vials of holy water, take out the big guns.

Install a security solution on your devices to fend off the attacks coming your way. Scary ransomware, tenacious exploits, Trojans and malicious links will be stopped before they can compromise your device and steal your precious data. You can experience best-in-class protection for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices with our 90-day Bitdefender Total Security trial, completely free of charge!